U.S. grants aim to promote women’s role

TIRANA, Jan. 28 – Aiming to reduce the barriers for women and girls to access market opportunities, reduce discrimination and empower women, USAID and a local Albanian NGO, Assist Impact, have signed seven grant agreement for economic empowerment projects for women. U.S. Ambassador Alexander Arvizu, Deputy Minister of Social Welfare and Youth Gentjana Sula and Chair of Women’s Parliamentary Caucus Mesila Doda were present at the ceremony, hailing such efforts for a bigger women’s role in the country’s economy. Arvizu said that Assist Impact and USAID are signing these agreements with local women’s organizations to invest in Albania’s women and girls. USAID Albania, in cooperation with Assist Impact, an Albanian NGO, is currently implementing a three year project “Building Human and Institutional Capacities,” aimed at supporting local NGOs, governmental agencies, and community groups to improve their capabilities and work more effectively. As part of this project, Assist Impact, through a competitive process, has selected seven NGOs from all over Albania to support the economic empowerment of women, particularly those most marginalized.